PPPL-3393 is available in <a href="PPPL-3393.pdf">pdf</a> or 
<a href="PPPL-3393.ps">postscript</a> formats.

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<b>Timescales for Non-inductive Current Buildup In Low-aspect-ratio Toroidal Geometry</b></p>

<p><b>Author:</b> S.C. Jardin</p>

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<b>Date of PPPL Report:</b> November 1999
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<b>Published in:</b> Nucl. Fusion <b>40</b> (June 2000) 1101-1112.</p>

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The fundamental differences between inductive and non-inductive current buildup are clarified and the associated time-scales and other implications are discussed. A simulation is presented whereby the plasma current in a low-aspect-ratio torus is increased primarily by the self-generated bootstrap current with only 10% coming from external current drive. The maximum obtainable plasma current by this process is shown to scale with the toroidal field strength. The basic physics setting the time-scales can be obtained from a 1D analysis. Comparisons are made between the timescales found here and those reported in the experimental literature.

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